La Cieca
James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.
Happy birthday to bass Zachary James.
Eun Sun Kim has been appointed the Caroline H. Hume Music Director of San Francisco Opera, effective August 1, 2021.
A second broadcast of the Met’s winter sleeper hit!
Star tenor Vittorio Grigolo has been dismissed from the Met.
Cecilia Bartoli has been named director of the Monte-Carlo Opera, with her incumbency to begin in 2023.
November was Akhnaten month at parterre box.
Born on this day in 1945, diva of divas Bette Midler!
La Cieca has only just noticed that the time for the announced first presentation of the New York City’s Opera’s 2019-2020 season has come and gone.
“È tutto amore! Chi a una sola è fedele, verso l’altre è crudele; io che in me sento si esteso sentimento, vo’ bene a tutte quante; le donne poiché calcolar non sanno, il mio buon natural chiamano inganno.”
Tonight’s broadcast of Tchaikovsky’s ghost story begins at 7:30 PM.
Anna Netrebko, in Milan preparing a new production of Tosca for La Scala’s opening night, fires back at an interviewer.
In preparation for her much-awaited Met debut, Lise Davidsen sings the arioso from Queen of Spades.
Though no recording of Sunday’s lauded performance of Lohengrin from the Bayerische Staatsoper has yet surfaced, here are a couple of excerpts from Der Freischütz sung by Johanni van Oostrum.
A parterre box reader has had to cancel an opera trip to Germany scheduled from November 29 – December 6 and wants if possible to share his tickets with members of the cher public.
It’s that time of year again, cher public: the 47th 15th annual announcement of the recipients of the F. Paul Driscoll Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence!
“Yusif Eyvazov will sing Hermann in the performances of Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades on November 29 and December 2 and 5, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who has withdrawn due to illness.”
So here’s my question: if Tadzio is 27 years old and consciously flaunting his wang, is it still Death in Venice?
“The Met acted quickly to cast her as Leonore in Fidelio, Chrysothemis in Elektra, Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos, Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.”
“A flawed leader with visions of grandeur who becomes mentally unstable is a plot line that [Kanye] West might relate to.”
Introducing “Dancing Contralto Daria Chebanenko!”
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
